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One of the most common symptoms of dry eye sufferers is gritty or sandy sensation in the eye.
"Gritty eyes" is a term used to describe conditions where your eyes feel like they're scratched or irritated, despite there being nothing physically present to cause this discomfort. But, what exactly is gritty eye, and what leads to this unsettling feeling?
Gritty eye, or foreign body sensation, is an irritating condition often associated with your eyes feeling as though they're irritated or scratched. It's akin to the sensation of having something stuck in your eyes, even when there's nothing there. This condition can cause mild to severe eye discomfort and may also lead to other symptoms, including irritation, pain, and watery eyes.
Many patients who visit our eye care clinic at Olympia often ask, "What are the common causes of gritty eyes?" To this end, gritty eyes can result from several different conditions, including:
Dry eyes is a condition which occurs if a person does not produce enough tears, or if they are producing poor quality tears.
Its symptoms include a burning or stinging sensation in the eyes, blurry vision, redness or irritation of the eyes, watery eyes, and pain while wearing contact lenses.
Blepharitis is a condition which is characterized by inflammation of the eyelid.
Blepharitis symptoms include itchy eyes, a burning or stinging sensation in the eyes, light sensitivity, red or swollen eyes or eyelids, blurry vision, and swelling of the cornea. Learn more about blepharitis here.
Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. It can lead to damage to the glands responsible for keeping the eyes and mouth moist, causing dry eye and the feeling of gritty eye.
Symptoms of Sjogren’s syndrome include dry eyes, a stinging or burning sensation in the eyes, light sensitivity, blurry vision, discomfort while wearing contact lenses, and blepharitis.
Learn more about Sjogren’s syndrome here.
A stye is a small red bump which develops at the base of an eyelash or underneath the eyelid. Styes are typically caused by bacterial infections, and they can lead to the following symptoms:
A painful, sometimes pus-filled lump, watery eyes, or swollen eyelids. Learn more about stye here.
Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, happens when the conjunctiva (clear tissue which covers the white of the eye) of the eye gets irritated. Conjunctivitis can be bacterial, viral, or allergic.
Symptoms of conjunctivitis include itchiness, burning, or pain in the eyes, as well as redness, watery eyes, light sensitivity, blurry eyelids, puffy eyelids, or mucus, pus, or yellow discharge coming from the eyes. Learn more about conjunctivitis (pink eye) here.
Photokeratitis is a condition which can develop after the eyes are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays, such as when looking directly at the sun or a solar eclipse, glare reflecting off snow or water, and devices like welding torches.
This condition can cause eye redness, pain, and swelling, watery eyes, light sensitivity, temporary vision loss, and twitching eyelids.
Meibomian gland dysfunction is when the meibomian glands (which produce tears that help keep the surface of the eyes moist) become clogged or are otherwise not producing enough oil to keep the tears from evaporating too quickly.
Symptoms of meibomian gland dysfunction include dry eyes, redness, burning or itchiness in the eyes, blurry vision, watery eyes, light sensitivity, or sticky or crusty eyes. Learn more about meibomian gland dysfunction here.
Because the feeling of gritty eyes is caused by a variety of different eye issues, the treatment will vary depending on which cause is present. Providing the correct treatment is vital, as treating for the wrong cause can lead to more issues.
For this reason, if you are experiencing gritty eye, it is important to see our eye doctor who can diagnose the cause of your gritty eye and advise you. Treatments may include
At our eye care clinic in Olympia, we offer a comprehensive range of treatments for gritty eyes. You can reach us at (360) 491-2121 to schedule an appointment for a dry eye evaluation. Our highly skilled and experienced eye care professionals are always ready to assist you.
Gritty eyes is an uncomfortable feeling in the eye which can be caused by several different conditions, and treatment will vary based on the cause. If you are experiencing gritty eye, you can contact (360) 491-2121 at American Family Vision Clinic by phone to schedule an appointment for a dry eye evaluation. Patients with dry eyes visit our clinic from all over Washington, and we are proud to be a leading provider of dry eye care for patients from Olympia, Lakewood, Tacoma, and Lacey.
Such a nice optician. My grandson is only 4 and needs glasses. We were so sad, but he explained the issues, and we will follow up as he suggested.
I had such a good experience with the clinic. Very friendly staff and doctor, did not have to wait for long to be called, and was treated respectfully. Thanks, American Family.
Dr. Zurcher has gone above and beyond what any other eye doctor has ever done to figure out what is going on with my eyes. Very happy with American Family Vision.
Family Vision Clinic changed our lives! My daughter was frequently car sick, and she was getting headaches every day, often painful enough that they brought her to tears. We saw a string of doctors and therapists, but we made no progress. Finally, we found Dr. Levi Zurcher and his eye therapist Rain. After ten weeks of eye therapy my daughter no longer gets headaches, and she no longer gets car sick. Daily tears are a thing of the past. I really can’t say enough about this clinic. It was fascinating to watch Dr. Zurcher work. For the first time, someone who knew what they were doing was intently studying my daughter, really trying to figure out all of her eye issues, and his therapist Rain is one of the most patient and lovely people that I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. We’re finished with eye therapy—yay!—and I have switched to American Family Vision Clinic for all of my family’s other eye health needs.
Very professional, yet kind and helpful. They do what they can to make the appointment comfortable. I was running a bit late, I made sure ti call. They were able to switch me with a patient who was already there, they treated me with respect, and helped my son have confidence by getting him the eye care he needed that day. Thank you so much! Would recommend to anyone. It's a blessing that they care enough to work with people who have all different types of insurance from work to state coverage.
The staff is friendly. The Doc is very knowledgeable. The office is family friendly and everyone is so patient with the little ones.
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